If I'm With You
by dragonwings948
Summary: What happened to Ian and Barbara after they left the TARDIS? Did they ever see the Doctor again? Did they ever have more adventures? These few short stories give a brief account of the lives of Ian and Barbara after they found a way back to their time.
1. London, 1965

"What _will_ we tell them?" Barbara asked eventually, breathless from laughter.

"Oh, I don't know." Ian squeezed her shoulder gently. "We'll think of something. After Daleks, Morlocks, and bloodthirsty Aztecs, this should be a walk in the park."

Barbara laughed heartily, attracting the attention of several people packed into the small bus. "That's true. But we still need to create a believable story if we want our jobs back."

Ian nodded in agreement, but after a moment his eyebrows furrowed together. "Barbara, do you think they've been...looking for us?"

She turned her head to stare across the bus. The idea had never crossed her mind. "No, I...I hadn't even thought of that."

"Hm." Ian scratched the back of his head. "It's going to be some messy business. Everyone will wonder where we were." His expression darkened even further. "I can't even imagine my mum and dad..."

Ian's worry seem to carry straight into Barbara's head. "My mother will be worried sick!"

"It's all right." Ian suddenly smiled and looked her in the eye, rubbing her shoulder comfortingly. "We'll find a way to tell them. In fact, we'll make a game of it!" His eyes shone with mirth as he awaited her reply.

Again, his emotion seemed to be contagious. Barbara found herself smiling again, her worry now only a distant thought. "What if we were kidnapped?" She mulled over the idea in her head, developing the story piece by piece...but she wasn't sure if they could believably fabricate a story that intricate.

"No," she and Ian said at the same time, shaking their heads.

"It's true enough, though," Ian added with a chuckle. "Maybe...we came into some money. Went off to see the world!"

"Together?" Barbara asked in between a spurt of giggles. "And so suddenly?"

"Oh, I suppose you're right. Though, with all the time we've spent together, it wouldn't be much of a stretch to say we were married."

Barbara laughed along with Ian as she felt warmth rush to her cheeks, hoping he wouldn't notice. And if he did, perhaps he would attribute it to the warm bus or her abundant laughter. But really, in her mind, she recalled how many times she had dreamed of marrying Ian- and her blush increased when she realized it was more than she could count.

"What if we didn't go back?" she asked, voicing the sudden thought to change the subject.

Ian jerked back with a small smile on his face. "Don't go back?"

"To Coal Hill, I mean. We could get our things, see our parents, and move somewhere else. I'm not sure if I could teach there again anyway; it would remind me too much of Susan and the Doctor."

"Hm. You're right, Barbara. And that way, we could get away without having to answer too many questions. You'll come with me, though? I mean, you'll move to the same city?"

Barbara could feel her blush threatening to creep back. "I don't think I could part from you now, after all we've been through."

"I feel the same way." His hopeful smile was then replaced with a thoughtful frown. "You know, I've always wanted to teach at Cambridge. What do you think about that?"

"You mean, become a professor?"

"Why, yes! What do you say? Should we see if they have a position open for a History professor too?" He grinned at her, his expression expectant and hopeful.

"I don't see why not." Barbara smiled at the thought of starting fresh again on Earth, not to mention being near Ian every day.

"Good. It's settled then." He placed his hand on top of hers, a bright twinkle in his eyes. "We'll do it."


	2. University of Cambridge, 1965

"We've come to see if there are any positions open." Ian looked down at Barbara with an encouraging smile and pressed her hand. His confidence gave her courage, and somehow she knew that everything was going to work out.

The elderly receptionist peered over her pointy glasses to examine them. "What are your names?"

"Ian Chesterton." He stuck out his arm to shake hands with the woman, putting on a winning smile.

Barbara followed his lead. "Barbara Wright."

An amused smile painted the receptionist's features. "I was told you would be coming."

Barbara looked up at Ian in astonishment. They hadn't told anyone about applying for teaching positions at Cambridge. "By whom?"

"The President of the University. He was already given your resume and credentials by a very old, reliable friend of his." She cocked an eyebrow as Ian and Barbara looked at each other knowingly. "I suspect you know who this is?"

Ian chuckled. "I think we have a pretty good idea."

The receptionist looked down at her desk and shuffled a few papers around, her white curls bouncing as she moved. "As it is," she continued looking up at them once more, "two positions were vacated about a month ago. The History professor resigned, as she just had a child, and the Science professor came into some money and left for America."

Ian barked a short laugh and turned to Barbara, his eyes wide and disbelieving. "Can you believe our luck?"

"Not luck," Barbara said, turning her gaze upwards where she imagined a little blue box flying through space. "The Doctor."


	3. The Mill Pond Park, 1966

"Well, you know what I've realized?" Barbara nudged Ian when he didn't respond, and he seemed to shake himself out of a daze.

"Sorry, what?"

"It's always going to be just us, Ian. No one else will ever believe that we've traveled through space and time."

"Yes," said Ian with a laugh. "But it's hard not to let things slip. I had a row with Brogan today, and I almost said that I had been knighted by King Richard. I imagine I would have lost that argument."

"Yes, the same sort of thing has happened to me." She looked down at the lake for a few moments, the glassy surface reflecting the painted sky. "I suppose I'll always miss it, deep down."

"Me too. But at least we have each other to share the adventures with." He looked over at her and smiled, gently pressing her arm that was looped through his. Then, keeping his eyes on her, he slowed his walk, and then stopped altogether. He took Barbara's hands in his, and her heart began to race as he spoke.

"Barbara."

All was silent in the little park. No one was about at this time of the day, when the sun was just about to set, apart from the few birds flitting about in the trees and the crickets beginning their chirping.

"I've known you for a very long time. First we taught together, and then flew all over the universe together. We saw things that no one else has ever seen; we were in danger almost constantly, and made friends that we'll never forget. And it was there, after saving you countless times, that I began to realize that I loved you."

Barbara couldn't help but let a smile break through. Ian's sentiment had been implied for a long time, but it was the first time he had come out and said it.

"Yes," he laughed in response to her expression. "Shocking, I know. But during our adventures, I began to see your wit, bravery, and compassion like I had never seen it before. Not to mention you put up with me for two years in the TARDIS."

"It wasn't easy," Barbara put in with a chuckle.

His grin widened. "I know. But after we came back to Earth, I realized that I could never live without you, Barbara. You're the one thing that always held me together. So," he continued as he lowered one knee to the ground, "I would be honored if you, Barbara, the goddess Yetaxa-" they both chuckled at that "-would marry me."

Barbara couldn't have stopped smiling even if she had tried. The whole scene was perfect; Ian's joyful expression, the sky tinted with shades of red, purple, and pink, and the absolute stillness of the beautiful park.

"Oh, Ian, of course I will!"

Ian laughed and jumped to his feet, slipping a diamond-embedded gold ring onto her finger before he grabbed her in a tight hug and just said, "Barbara."


	4. King's College Chapel, 1967

"I now give you, Mr. and Mrs. Ian Chesterton!"

A roar of cheers went up for the newlyweds as they made their way back down the aisle. Barbara smiled and waved at all her family, friends, and fellow professors, hoping somewhere in the back of her mind that _he _would be here.

Ian squeezed her arm. "I don't see him," he murmured out of the side of his mouth, still keeping up a charming smile.

"Me neither," Barbara sighed, "but is it really a surprise?"

"No, I suppose not."

They continued walking until they were out of the church sanctuary and into the main hallway. It would be a minute or two before anyone else came through.

Ian sighed contentedly and looked down at Barbara with a smile. "Mrs. Chesterton."

She wrapped her arms around Ian and hugged him. "Oh, Ian, can you believe it? After all we've been through?"

"Well I can."

Barbara's head snapped up at the voice of a third person. It was much too familiar. Ian released her and ran forward, and in the same second Barbara looked toward the stranger too.

But it wasn't a stranger at all.

"Doctor!" Ian said in surprise, already shaking his hand. "I didn't think you would come!"

"Oh, I wouldn't miss something like this, now would I, Chesterton?" He was smiling like he usually did, that silly little grin that made him always seem like he knew something you didn't. "And may I say, my dear girl," he added, turning his attention to Barbara as she stepped forward, "you look quite lovely."

"Thank you, Doctor. We're so happy to see you!" Happy didn't even begin to cover it. She and Ian had missed the Doctor terribly.

He nodded, a hand gripping the edge of his coat. "Ah, I would never abandon my friends like that. So I hear that you have become professors at Cambridge, hm?"

"Yes," replied Ian with a smirk. "In fact, the positions opened up right before we got there, and _someone _had already given them our credentials."

The Doctor laughed with a bit of mischievousness in his eyes. Very good, very good! That's wonderful! I wonder how that should have come about."

"Yes, I wonder," Ian added, his voice saturated with sarcasm. Barbara giggled at the scene, and then turned her attention back to the Doctor.

"Is everything going well in the TARDIS? Where's Vicki?"

Barbara noticed that the Doctor's grip on his cane tightened and his eyes hardened, just barely. "Quite safe, quite safe. But I'm afraid I must be off now."

"Oh, but Doctor, you _must _stay!" Barbara implored.

"Yes, at least have some food at the reception," Ian chimed in.

"That is out of the question. Too much to do, too little time, you see." He began to turn with a chuckle, but Barbara caught his shoulder. He pivoted looked at her with a questioning gaze.

"Thank you, Doctor. Be safe." She bit her lip for a moment, not wanting to utter the last word. "Goodbye."

"Yes, goodbye, Doctor. We'll see you again?"

He hesitated. "Perhaps." He clasped Barbara's hand in both of his and nodded with a smile. "Goodbye, Barbara." He then turned to Ian and shook hands with him again. "Goodbye...Ian."

Barbara wasn't sure if she had ever heard the Doctor call Ian by his first name. She could have sworn that there were tears in the Doctor's eyes as he said it, or maybe it was just the lighting. However, perhaps it was the latter, because a moment later he turned. But just before he walked away, he said, "And may I say you don't look a day older than on the day you left!" He laughed, as if it was some great joke, and turned his head so they could see him wink.

"Doctor-" Ian reached out after him, but the Doctor had already melted into the crowd that was pouring from the sanctuary.

"What was that all about?" he wondered.

Barbara laughed and shook her head.

"I don't think anyone will ever understand him," Ian continued.

"No, but I'll miss him. Won't you?"

"Oh, all right, I will." He smiled down at her. "But I wouldn't trade the life we have now for anything."


End file.
